Hartford, Conn. – Sophomore Hart Gliedman (New York, N.Y.) hit a three-pointer with 0.4 seconds left to lift the Trinity College Bantams to a 68-66 win over State University of New York-Purchase Panthers in the home finale on Stan Ogrodnik Court in Ray Oosting Gymnasium this evening. Trinity improves to 9-13 overall and Purchase drops to 16-5 on the year.
Neither team built a lead of greater than five points in the see-saw game, which was decided in the final minute of action. Purchase junior Andre Nixon (Harlem, N.Y.) hit a three-pointer with 45 seconds on the clock to give the Panthers a 66-65 lead. Senior Mick DiStasio (Yarmouth, Maine), playing in the final home game of his career on senior night, came up with a clutch layup with 32 seconds showing on the clock, pulling the Bantams within a point.
A Trinity intentional foul sent Purchase to the line with 16 seconds remaining, but a missed pair of free throws left Trinity with a chance to win. Rookie Jaquann Starks (Hartford, Conn.), who hit seven three-pointers in the game, tried to get open for an eighth, but instead drove and kicked the ball to the corner, where Gliedman handled the pass and got a last second shot off with a hand in his face. To the delight of the home crowd, the shot sailed in with 0.4 seconds left, lifting the Bantams to their first win in four games, over a strong Purchase team.
Starks' seven three-pointers left him two shy of the Trinity record. Former Bantam Keith Wolff hit nine treys against Worcester State back on December 3, 1994, and DiStasio nailed eight against Skidmore on December 11, 2009.
Distasio made plenty of big plays in his farewell game on Ogrodnik Court, finishing with nine points, five rebounds, seven assists and a steal. Starks scored 21 points - all via long range – to go along with four assists. Trinity shot 55 percent from long range in the game. Nixon led all scorers with 24 points and five rebounds for the Panthers, while teammate sophomore Joel Neri (Port Chester, N.Y.) racked up 14 points and six rebounds in just 22 minutes of action. Purchase junior Justin Person (Greenburgh, N.Y.) collected seven points, seven rebounds, and four steals in the game.